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MILS NEWS 96-10-17Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: "Macedonian Information Liaison Service" <mils@mils.spic.org.mk>CONTENTS
MILS SUPPLEMENTMILS NEWSSkopje, 17 October, 1996[01] MINISTER HANDZISKI: 'COOPERATION WITH TURKEY IN MILITARY INDUSTRY AND STAFF EDUCATION''There are great possibilities to start a cooperation with Turkey in the area of military industry during the following period, and we will continue our intensive cooperation in the field of education and training of staff.' According to Macedonian Television, this was officially stated by the Macedonian Minister of Defense Blagoj Handziski, while summarizing the results of his visit to Turkey. 'With the help of the Turkish party, we expect to achieve a great success in the training and education of Macedonian military staff, within the framework of our efforts to fulfill the minimum conditions for our membership in NATO', stated Minister Handziski.[02] SUCCESSION OF FORMER YUGOSLAVIA WILL BE DISCUSSED AGAIN IN BRUSSELS ON 11 AND 12 NOVEMBERA new round of negotiations on the succession of former Yugoslavia property will, most probably, be held on 11 and 12 November in Brussels, Macedonian Television reported. Before that, the representatives of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia would meet in Zagreb in order to agree on the strategy for continuing the negotiations, 'Makfax' agency reported.According to the sources of Belgrade daily 'Nasha Borba', the Yugoslav delegation is trying to impose the term 'public property' which would include 9.000 objects built between 1945 and 1991 from federal sources. On the other side, the other four republics, according to 'Nasha Borba', want back their heritage from the public property built during those 46 years $200 billion worth. This property includes the resources of former Yugoslavia National Bank, Embassies and Residencies abroad, as well as the property of former Yugoslav National Army. [03] MACEDONIA STARTED THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE LONDON CLUB OF CREDITORS'Macedonia began the negotiations with the London Club of Creditors for returning the debt half a billion dollars worth yesterday', Macedonian Radio reported. The negotiations are taking place in New York, and Macedonian delegation is led by the Vice President of the Government Ljube Trpevski.[04] 'KATIMERINI'-'SKOPJE WILL NOT BACK UP FROM THE CONSTITUTIONAL NAME''The opinion of the political circles in Skopje was not that a step forward had been achieved at the negotiations in New York, despite the optimism in Athens,' Greek conservative newspaper 'Katimerini' claimed. The newspaper, as A-1 Television reported, stressed that even if it was supposed that 'some people in the higher circles in Skopje were reconsidering to make exceptions on the name issue, they would not 'open their cards' before the middle of November, i.e. before the local elections'.According to 'Katimerini', the local elections 'would be a direct clash between the Government and the opposition', and that Macedonian Government would not like to show any intention for changing the name, because it would be too risky. The article further estimated that the present atmosphere in Skopje showed that there would be no changing of the constitutional name, while the negotiations in New York were led only to have the Interim Accord between Macedonia and Greece signed. 'Katimerini', cited a statement of an anonymous ex-official in the Macedonian Government, who claimed that it was almost impossible to expect any compromise even for the triple name formula. [05] CORRECTIONS OF THE PASSPORTS - UNACCEPTABLE FOR MACEDONIAYesterday, Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ljubomir Frchkovski had received the Association of Macedonians from the Aegean Part of Macedonia representatives. According to Macedonian Television, they had discussed the possibilities for Macedonians from the Aegean part of Macedonia to travel to Greece with passports in which the name of their place of birth would be replaced by 'Republic of Greece'. The already announced attitude of the Association that this solution was unacceptable for them was confirmed again during these talks.The members of the Association also stressed that the treatment of the Macedonians at Greek border crossings was still discriminating and they asked from the Macedonian Government to discuss this matter with the Greek Government. 'Nova Makedonija' read that even the 'corrected' passport was not enough these Macedonian citizens to enter Greece, which is opposite to the claims of the Greek party. In the past few days, a number of passengers with such passports had been returned from the Greek border with an explanation that they should ask for visa from the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens. [06] INTERNATIONAL' WORKSHOP' PROGRAMME FOR PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY HAD BEGUNYesterday in Skopje, the first International 'Workshop' Programme for Preventive Diplomacy was opened, which is organized by the Norwegian Institute of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with UNPREDEP, OSCE Center for Democracy from Washington and the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.'Workshop' was officially opened by the Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov and the UN Special Envoy in Skopje Henryk Sokalski and by the Head of OSCE Mission Christian Faber Rod. The central subject of the meeting would be preventive strategies in pre-conflict situations, initiated by the UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali report. [07] PRODUCTION OF CIGARETTES 'PHILIP MORRIS' IN MACEDONIA SOONThe greatest cigarette producer 'Philip Morris', 'Tutunski Kombinat' (tobacco enterprise) from Prilep and 'Makedonija Tabak' signed a contract for production of several brands of cigarettes of the American company in Macedonia yesterday. According to the contract conditions, the American company should provide technical help, both for the production and the distribution of certain brands of cigarettes, while the financial construction has still not been defined. The contract obliges 'Philip Moriss' company to buy 6.000 tones of oriental tobacco from Macedonia.According to Macedonian media, the contract signing was attended by the Vice Prime Minister Jane Miljoski and Minister of Agriculture Nikola Parakeov. The Vice President of 'Philip Morris' company for Central Europe Jean Cloud Kuntz stressed that after the signing of the contract the shares of cigarettes in Macedonia have raised, A-1 Television reported. [08] NEW 'POISONINGS' IN TETOVOToday's issue of 'Vecer' daily reads that new 'poisoned' pupils of the Albanian nationality had been hospitalized at the Tetovo Medical Centre yesterday afternoon. This time, the 'poisoned' pupils were from the secondary school of economy, which is attended by Macedonian children, as well. According to 'Vecer', the ten hospitalized pupils had the already known symptoms: headaches, weakness, stomach pains, etc.Meanwhile, Tetovo Town Assembly held a session yesterday, on which its members had concluded that a poisoning had taken place among pupils of the Albanian nationality, and protested against the decision of the Education Ministry to have the work in schools continued. The Assembly also concluded that parents would be engaged to monitor the situation in schools 24 hours a day, in order to have a clear picture of it. US Information Service in Skopje yesterday officially announced that, following the request of the Macedonian Government, the USA would send a military medical expert to join the World Health Organization team which is investing the situation in Tetovo region. Local media reported that he was expected to arrive in Skopje today. [09] THE CASE OF HOSTAGES IN GOLEMA RECHICA CLEARED UPWithin the framework of activities taken by the Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding the events connected to the alleged 'poisoning' of Albanian pupils in Tetovo area, the Ministry had cleared up and documented two cases. The first one was that of illegal depriving from freedom of three individuals in the village of Golema Rechica on 09 October, 1996, and the other one was the physical attack on a Macedonian Television reporter in front of the Tetovo Medical Centre the same day. This was how the local media cited an announcement of the Macedonian Internal Affairs Ministry, which further said that charges had been raised against four men at the age of 31 to 40 years because they had illegally deprived from freedom three people. Three of those accused had been handed to the Investigative Court in Tetovo, while the fourth person is in flight. Charges were also raised against a 21 years old man, unemployed, for physical attacking and preventing a person from performing his duties. This person was sentenced to 60 days long imprisonment, and was immediately sent to serve the sentence.[10] AGREEMENT ON FREE TRADE WITH FR YUGOSLAVIA RATIFIEDMacedonian MPs had unanimously ratified the Agreement on Free Trade with FR Yugoslavia and the Agreement on Free International Transport between Macedonia and Great Britain at the continuation of the 54 session yesterday. In the same way, the Law on Notary Work and the Law on the Relations Between Local Self-Government Units were passed. Also, the Draft Law on Lottery was accepted and changes were introduced in the Law on Export Trade.All the present MPs (61) on the session voted for the Agreement on Free Trade between Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia. The only one who discussed on this matter was Jovan Lazarov, a member of the Socialist Party, who greeted the Agreement passing and said the relationships in the spheres of trade should be dealt in this way with the other neighbouring countries of Macedonia: Bulgaria, Albania and Greece. According to Jovan Lazarov, Macedonia should continue the policy of equi-distance towards its neighbours. Macedonian MPs were informed that the MP representative of the Liberal Party Persida Malinska would continue her parliamentarian function as a member of the parliamentarian group of SDSM in the future. Thus, SDSM will have 61 representatives in the Parliament. The 55th session, which was scheduled to start yesterday, did not begin because of a lack of quorum, a problem the Macedonian Parliament has been facing for a longer period of time. [11] MACEDONIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: 'THE AGREEMENT WITH FR YUGOSLAVIA AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPTED'In accordance with Vienna Convention on International Treaty Law, if the Agreement includes the term in which the same should come into force, it is activated at that term and the ratification would follow. Since in Macedonian FR Yugoslav Agreement on Free Trade the term stated was 30 days after the signing, this was applied automatically. A-1 Television reported that this was the satnd of Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, referring to the dilemmas in public and with yesterday's discussion at the Parliamentarian Commission for Foreign Affairs whether Macedonian Government had hurried up with the application of the Agreement on Free Trade with FR Yugoslavia.[12] NOMINATIONS FOR MAYORS AND COUNCILS MEMBERS - TILL MIDNIGHTAll nominations for mayors and councils members for the forthcoming local elections should be submitted till midnight today, which is the final term. Electoral Commissions should than check the data and, in case some irregularities appear, parties or citizens should correct them within three days. In case that condition is not fulfilled, those candidates would be refused. 'On the other hand, all the candidates who had already signed their candidacy have no right to withdraw them,' State Electoral Commission President Liljana Ristova said.According to Macedonian Radio, Ristova had stated that she would soon have a meeting with representatives of opposition parties VMRO-DPMNE, Democratic and Liberal Party, following their request to discuss the 'irregularities in the regulations on local elections'. The meeting is expected to be attended by Minister of Justice Vlado Popovski and by the President of the Electoral Lists Commission. Ristova also said that representatives of the National Democratic Institute and OSCE had shown an interest in monitoring the elections and will most probably do that. Parties had also become more engaged in activities referring to local elections. PDP yesterday announced its 46 candidates for mayors, while the Democratic Party held its Convention, on which a mayor candidate and the councils members candidates were promoted. A-1 Television reported that the Convention of PDP had been held under the motto 'Yes for PDP, yes for the rebirth of Albanians in Macedonia'. It was concluded that the party would nominate 840 candidates for members of councils in 52 municipalities. PDP leader Abdurahman Aliti had expressed his optimism for the local elections, called on actions to be taken within the institutions of the system and interceded for a reform of the Constitution, by which Albanians would be given an equal status in Macedonia. [13] TREATMENT CENTER FOR DRUG ADDICTS IN KUMANOVOA new Center for Treatment of Drug Addicts was opened yesterday in Kumanovo, which would work within the framework of Kumanovo Medical Center. This is one of the rare specialized institutions in Macedonia which main activity will be to fight against the drug abuse and to treat drug addicts.[14] MONOGRAPH 'REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA' AND A BOOK 'ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT' PROMOTEDMacedonian Parliament President promoted the third edition of monograph 'Republic of Macedonia', which was published in English language also, at the Macedonian Army Center, yesterday in Skopje. The monograph written by several authors contains 200 pages and 40 chapters in which Macedonia is presented through the view of political and economic reforms, the history and the visions for the future. Certain chapters refer to industrial potentials, the process of privatization, possibilities for foreign investments, population, language, the situation in the spheres of culture and art, the education system, the new Constitution, as well as the formation of the new army and the activities for the program 'Partnership for Peace'. The Monograph was published by the publishing houses 'SIBIS' and 'Profotomarketing', while the program director of the project is Ljubomir Jakimovski. Another book was promoted yesterday in Skopje, entitled 'Atentat' ('Assassination Attempt'), which author is Zoran Petrov, a journalist in 'Nova Makedonija'. In spite of the popular subject of the book, the highest officials were not present, Macedonian Radio reported.MILS SUPPLEMENT[15] 'A Ministerial Duel'('Nova Makedonija', 17 October, 1996)A rivalry between two ministers in a government can be productive if they are trying to prove who performs his_her duties better, and both the government and the country can win something from that. But, if a rivalry includes only attempts to discredit each other in the public, or in the eyes of the Prime Minister and the President, it brings only to losses, and it is mostly the country which loses its reputations. An example of such a situation in Macedonia were the recent events regarding the meeting of Defense Minister Blagoj Handziski with his FR Yugoslav counterpart Pavle Bulatovic. Prior to the visit, the media reported that he was going there to talk about buying FR Yugoslav weapons. 'Dnevnik' daily, which regularly issues exclusive information from the Foreign Ministry, cited the Belgrade agency 'Beta', that allegedly quoted 'anonymous diplomatic sources', according to which 'the main purpose of the meeting was to be a FR Yugoslav offer to Macedonia for buying weapons', adding that 'FRY had asked help from the USA to be able to fulfill conditions stated in the Dayton Accord, in context of which it had been initiated the surplus arms to be given to the Macedonian army'. The meeting in Nish did take place, but Handziski neither bought anything nor was he offered such a thing. Immediately after returning from there, he returned the stroke in two interviews; one issued by 'Nova Makedonija' and the other by 'Puls' weekly. It was obvious that he was 'dealing' with somebody. But, who was that who was speculating with Defense Minister's patriotism and claiming that he was going to buy Serbian arms? Handziski himself avoided to directly name anybody (although his interview for 'Puls' clearly showed who he was accusing) and stated that the 'sources of information were not in FRY, but in a different place'. His reply to the speculations about his alleged secret agreements with the northern neighbour was that Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was to blame for the still not established border line between Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia, adding that all the problems would be solved after his meeting with Bulatovic. It is, however, a public secret that the 'other place' mentioned by Handziski was, in fact, the Foreign Ministry and that Handziski's greatest rival is Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ljubomir Frchkovski, in the current relations inside the Government and the Social Democratic Alliance (somebody are even mentioning their Presidential ambitions). The youngest Macedonian daily 'Dnevnik', about which rumours were heard at the very beginning that it was formed in 'Frchkovski's cabinet' and that the paper was under this Minister's influence, obviously not pleased with Handziski's statements, immediately reacted by describing the interviews as 'cabinet ones' and asked the Defense Minister 'five questions'. The questions were, in fact, five accusations addressed to him: that he was the only Macedonian Minister who had met with his Yugoslav counterpart since the sanctions on FRY had been imposed, that he was received at a low level, i.e. not in Belgrade, but in Nish, that it was a scandalous and insulting attitude towards the country he represented, etc. Who is the most responsible one? Almost simultaneously, a situation was created in which our neighbour FRY and its media were supporting one Macedonian Minister and welcoming the attacks on another one. For example, immediately after the reaction of 'Nova Makedonija' on Frchkovski's forming his Diplomatic Council, Belgrade daily 'Politika' issued an article entitled 'Frchkovski Criticized In Public Again'. On the other hand, after Handziski's interview for 'Nova Makedonija' titled 'We Did Not Go to FRY to Buy Weapons', the Belgrade daily issued an article (longer than the interview itself) entitled 'Readiness For Cooperation', citing Handziski's statement that 'Macedonian Foreign Ministry was partly to blame for the problems regarding the still not established border line', as well as his saying that 'the reason for that is most probably our inexperience'. (to be continued)mils news 17 October, 1996Macedonian Information Liaison Service Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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